This morning I saw some crows playing a game. At first I thought they were harassing a hawk, but they didn't sound angry. One crow was "it" and kept making an odd call that I've never heard before. The other crows were yelling raucously and going after it, but in a halfassed way. I really think they were playing tag with one of their younguns.
I think the "it" crow's call was a "pretend hawk" sound but it was not like a real hawk and I suspect was a joke interpretation, like ridiculing hawks, making fun of them, for the sake of the game.
I love crows.
Now that I think more about it, they're probably teaching their youngsters how to deal with hawks, how to swoop them and get them to go away from their nest, just like other animals teach their young how to deal with predators (or prey). I'm lucky to have witnessed it.
@b4cks4w I hadn't hear of that. I'd believe it though, they have a large vocabulary.